Secrets Of The Neglected Wife: When Her True Colors Shine Read Online Free

Chapter 118: The next morning, Allison strolled casually into Charisma Company.

As soon as she stepped inside, her phone buzzed with a message from Kellan.

Miss Clarke, no assistant for you today? Theyd only trip me up.

Allison had no desire for an assistant, knowing it would attract unwanted attention.

Besides, she preferred working alone and felt uneasy with someone hovering around.

After hitting send, she ventured further into the building.

To her surprise, the atmosphere was quite comfortable.

Charisma Company had grown exponentially, and with backing from the Lloyd Group, it had secured an entire skyscraper.

As a perfume company, it didnt have the stiff, uptight atmosphere of a typical corporate office.

Laboratories were scattered across the building, and two entire floors were dedicated to lounges and break rooms where employees could unwind.

But as she neared the office area, something caught her eyea disturbance in the companys data.

Someones hacking in, she muttered, frowning.

Nearby computer screens flickered with garbled code, but the staff on duty were nowhere to be seen, and oddly enough, the networks security alarms hadnt been triggered.

Her instincts were rightsomeone was tampering with the system.

Without hesitation, she slid into the nearest chair and got to work.

An illegal breach? Havent seen this move in a while, she murmured.

This wasnt how shed envisioned her first day.

With determination, she made her way to the central control room, switched on the main computer, and let her fingers fly across the keyboard.

Lаtєst chαptєrs in g????l????ov????ls.ｃοm Kellan had assured her the lab was hers to command, and it came with full access to all the equipment.

The other lab techs blinked in surprise at her sudden entrance.

They had been informed that a new leader would be arriving today, and apparently, that was her.

Though they were aware of the situation, they couldnt shake off the sting of resentment.

Thea Reid shot a discreet glance at Marc Ward, the senior tech who had the best shot at promotion.

Watching an outsider walk in and claim what he thought was rightfully his only fueled his bitterness.

Swallowing his frustration, Marc approached Allison, his sarcasm barely concealed.

So, youre Miss Clarke.

Trying to make a splash on day one, I see.

But, uh, shouldnt you… Allison didnt bother looking up as Marcs voice interrupted her concentration.

Youre dealing with perfume in the lab? Whats with all the typing here? She couldnt waste time on trivialities.

This wasnt the work of amateurs it had all the hallmarks of Dark Web hackers.

Given Charismas sky-high market value, there were plenty of vultures circling, hoping to snatch their coveted perfume formulas.

If she didnt block the intrusion in the next few minutes, the hackers would break through the firewall and breach the database.

By the time the Lloyd Groups cybersecurity team could intervene, it would be too late.

She wasnt about to let valuable data, still untouched by her own eyes, fall into the hands of thieves.

Ignoring Marcs jab, she fired back, If you know who I am, then you should also know to stay out of my way.

Marcs eyes narrowed in shock, his irritation bubbling over.

Around the lab, the other techs exchanged amused glances and whispered under their breath.

Shes all fired up, but its not like this is our company, right? If things go south, its on her, not us.

Miss Clarke, dont misunderstand us, Thea interjected smoothly, her tone dripping with subtle venom.

Its not that we dont respect you, but real talent speaks for itself.

And when someones only here because of who they know… well, you cant expect us to hold our tongues.

No offense intended, of course.

Their words were sharp, and it was clear they had anticipated a battle-hardened leader in the role.

Instead, they were faced with a woman in her twenties, quiet and seemingly easy to walk over.

But Allison wasnt one to be underestimated.

If youre aware of how rude youre being, then perhaps its time to be quiet.

If you cant solve the problem, at least dont add to it.

Its common decency or is that concept beyond your grasp? Her words hit with the precision of a well-aimed dart.

She could tell they resented her appointment.

The snide remarks made that abundantly clear.

The companys under cyberattack.

Im dealing with it.

Leave me be.

With her focus now entirely on countering the hack, the techs grumbling only served to fray her nerves further.

Their expressions stiffened, but none of them dared argue.

They exited the room, jaws clenched, exchanging silent glares.

Once outside, they gathered by the glass windows, watching her every move like hawks.

The whispers flared up again.

Fixing the system? What a circus act! Exactly! Shes supposed to be crafting perfumes, not clacking away at a keyboard.

What a joke! Thea smirked and chimed in, What do you suppose her backstory is? Does it matter? Marc cut in, his voice laced with derision.

The real issue is how she wormed her way in.

Pretending to be busy… how ridiculous.

She should stick to blending scents instead of playing hero with computers.

Shes trying to throw her weight around, another tech muttered.

If we dont nip this in the bud, shell be calling all the shots soon enough! The group exchanged subtle glances, each person silently agreeing.

Finally, Marc, the most senior of them, broke the silence, his voice calm but firm.

Arent there reps from rival firms coming to inspect the place today? Itd be a real shame if they didnt get a proper introduction to our new leader.

A sly grin flickered across the group.

Office politics thrived like weeds in a neglected garden, each faction competing for dominance.

To them, a fresh leader was nothing more than the erosion of their carefully established influence.

So what if Allison had won the Perfumery Competition? That didnt mean she could waltz in and disrupt their carefully constructed hierarchy.

No one in this room would allow their interests to be trampled without a fight.

Marc wasnt just a senior technician; he was the unspoken leader of his own loyal faction.

And he wasnt about to let an outsider undermine his power.

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